How to Clean Color Photo Prints

Purchase the photo cleaning products at a photography store. Common household supply stores will not stock the correct supplies. Some online photography stores also stock emulsion cleaners and photograph cleaning pads.

Lay the towel over a large, flat surface. Place the gloves over your hands. Fill the bucket with clean, cold water and set it next to the towel.

Blow off dust and other contaminants with the compressed air. Use a steady stream to remove spider webs and other dirt. Work with the photos one at a time to avoid blowing the dirt from one photo onto another.

Dip the cleaning pads into the emulsion cleaner. Wipe the front and back of the photo using long, gentle strokes. Use a new pad for each time you go over the photo. Use the emulsion cleaner to remove smudges or stuck on materials such as glue or other sticky substances. Use the bucket of water to clean off actual mud or dirt. When finished wiping the front and back of the photo, set it flat to dry.

Dip the photos into the bucket of cold water. Gently wipe a cleaning pad over the surface of the photo to remove all dirt and other contaminants, such as mold. Remove the photo from the water and lay on the towel to dry.

Allow the photos to dry for 24 hours before replacing back in storage or albums. It may be necessary to wipe the washed photos with the emulsion cleaner after they dry. This will remove all forms of contamination from the photos.